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Brittney Levinson

Is UV-C tech the solution to making venues COVID-safe?

One Aussie company says the tech can benefit hotels and event centres.

As the industry begins to plan for the reopening of venues and hotels in Australia, new guidelines are being established to provide safe and hygienic environments for delegates.

Ultraviolet light, or UV-C light, is just one method being explored by conference venues and hotels.

Primarily used to disinfect drinking water, air, pharmaceutical products and surfaces, UV-C light is a non-chemical disinfectant that deactivates the DNA of bacteria, virus and other pathogens.

Australian company GERMii specialises in UV-C technology and pathogen mitigation, and has recently pivoted its business and re-engineered its equipment to treat a wide variety of spaces, including hotels and conference venues.

Here, we speak to GERMii founder Shan Patterson about how the technology works and how it can benefit conference venues.

Can you explain how the GERMii products work?

We have two product lines available within the service: Germicidal Irradiation Handheld unit (G.I.L) and Germicidal Irradiation Chamber.

Our G.I.L equipment is manned by trained technicians and can be used at a venue to sterilise identified high touch areas. Our G.I.L handheld UV-C powered devices are applied across all surface types by our technicians and will sterilise an area by destroying viruses and bacteria. Our UV-C lamps break down their DNA, rendering them ineffective and ensuring a safer environment for visitors and staff.

Our Germicidal Irradiation Chamber is a brand new, powerful and highly efficient unit designed for the needs of a wide range of environments. It’s a secure chamber that will disinfect a wide range of items such as mobile devices, laptops, bags, keys and more. In venues, a chamber could be set up in each foyer for guests, delegates and staff to drop their personal items in during the conference.

How would the technology work for convention centres and hotels?

Due to the reengineering of the equipment, we are able to treat all spaces no matter what size or footprint.

This allows us to access areas such as hotel rooms, event spaces and multi-use spaces in a short time without residue or chemicals meaning turn-around times are dramatically reduced bringing them back to productivity with consumer confidence.

Particularity in accommodation rooms with multiple surfaces and materials in a space that cannot be cleaned by chemicals, such as furniture and technology.

What is Australia’s take up of the technology like compared to other countries?

Whilst UV-C has been used in Australia for years in fixed installations such as hospitals and food production facilities, the limitation has always been to use it in common, everyday areas.

Using our innovative engineering approach, we’re able to bring chemical, electronic friendly UV-C into the mainstream for venues, corporate offices and much more.

Who is currently using GERMii in Australia?

We are quickly expanding and have already secured some wonderful customers in a very short space of time.

We have just been appointed by the Victorian Ambulance service as a major provider in their sanitation regime for COVID-19.

We are also in discussions with a major global facility management company, who wish to deliver our pathogen mitigation services for corporate offices around Australia.

We are also in discussions with call centers, accommodation, venues, corporates, tech providers and real estate.

Do you see UV-C technology becoming more prevalent across Australia in coming months?

Absolutely. We are moving into a new phase where people now understand that they must protect their staff, people and businesses from the impact of known and future pathogens, viruses and bacteria. The risk is significant, impacting on the health and wellbeing of our people, and the stability and continuity of our businesses.

Cleaning with chemicals or using electromagnetic liquid sprays represent a considerable amount of risk to people and electronics, so UV-C is the only true safe, electronic and scientifically proven method to protect ourselves and environment. We’re the only company pioneering this type of technology and we’re passionate about what we do.

We particularly recognise, with extensive events backgrounds ourselves, that just one outbreak for an event centre can cause serious impact and we want to be able to help mitigate that risk.

Duty of care to both consumer and protecting workers are of paramount concern to all industries particularly high volume turnover in all aspects of hospitality, tourism, business events and accommodation.

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